Batman Caught in Joker's End Game

Spoiler Warning: If you haven't played Batman: Arkham City through to completion yet and are spoiler-sensitive, turn back now.

Ever since the conclusion of Batman: Arkham City, fans have been clamoring for a follow-up to the game's shocking ending that resulted in the Joker's death. While gamers have the upcoming Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC to look forward to, DC Comics is taking this opportunity to tell the tale of what happens directly after the end of the game.

Tomorrow marks the release of the first installment of a new six chapter digital-first comic story called Batman Arkham City: End Game, which finds the Joker's reign of terror continuing despite his death. The Clown Prince of Crime had a contingency plan, it seems, and now Batman and the Gotham City police are left to deal with it.

Plus, as we've seen time and again, Batman has a unique connection with the Joker; what's to become of the Dark Knight now that his polar opposite is dead and gone? We spoke with End Game writer Derek Fridolfs -- who has also been writing the Arkham Unhinged comics -- about what readers can look forward to in End Game. Plus, we've got a bunch of never-before-seen, gorgeously dark pages from artist Jason Shawn Alexander.

Will this be the Joker's swan song?

IGN Comics: The conclusion of Arkham City left fans in a place they’ve never really been before – a world without the Joker. What captivates you about the story possibilities that this opens up for Batman?

Derek Fridolfs: It's been fun getting the chance to write stories in the Arkham-verse, set up by the two games. But they've been confined to a very distinct time period, either during the game or flashbacks to before the games. With End Game, we finally get a chance to do something that the fans have been wanting to see… what happens after the game. And that in itself, is very captivating.

I'll say this… within the opening two pages of End Game, we'll finally get the answer to to the most asked question: Is Joker really dead or is he alive?

IGN: What kind of reaction does Batman have to Joker’s death? Could it be his guilt is Joker’s last laugh?

Fridolfs: It's been one long night for Batman in Arkham City. And one long life having to deal with the Joker and all their encounters together. In the game, we go from Batman being fine with dying by poisoned blood if it meant the Joker died as well, to Batman saying after all they'd been through, he would've given Joker the cure had he not stabbed him to drop it. That's quite a range I think. And the idea of Joker's effect to those around him, whether he's present or not, is something that will be addressed in the story in a unique way.

IGN: How directly will this story be tied to the Harley Quinn DLC and/or any future installments of the Arkham franchise?

Fridolfs: It's definitely a nice companion to Harley's Revenge, while not being limited just to that. We will see how Harley reacts after the ending to Arkham City and sets up her story for the DLC. But I'd say this is mainly a very personal Batman and Joker story, along with Jim Gordon who plays a crucial role.

IGN: Given that this story fills the gaps between the end of Arkham City and the new DLC, what will Harley Quinn’s role in this comic be?

Fridolfs: It's tough to not say too much, since this'll be answered in the story itself. But the idea is with Joker's dead body brought out to the cops, Wonder Tower destroyed, and Arkham City in active lockdown by the GCPD; you can imagine it being chaos inside. And that's what Harvey Bullock and the cops will see when they enter Arkham City for the first time. Also, Harley isn't one to mourn too long.

IGN: The Batman/Joker psychological relationship has been explored at length in the past. How does that relationship change when Joker’s physical presence is no longer there?

Fridolfs: We'll get to see how much of a hold Joker has on Batman, as well as Gotham itself, whether he's around or not. End Game also is a chance to see an earlier encounter between the two, that goes to the very bowels of Arkham Asylum, and comes back full circle to a return to the Asylum on Arkham Island following the game. The story not only feels extremely dark, but the artist (Jason Shawn Alexander) is drawing it in giant swaths of black ink all over the page. He's bringing a real psychotic edge and dirtiness to the Joker that is awe inspiring to see. Jason is providing all sorts of creepy nightmare inducing twisted images that make this feel more personal than I've seen the two characters portrayed in a long time. Seeing each new page that comes in from Jason, I feel extremely happy to have him involved drawing it. He's an artist possessed!

IGN: This story sees a return to the weekly digital format that you did with Arkham Unhinged. Did your experience with that series inform any new approaches with this one? Anything you’ll be doing differently to optimize the digital format?

Fridolfs: Not to confuse matters, but End Game is still part of Arkham Unhinged, which has always come out in the weekly digital format (and now in print). It's still part of the stories featured in the Arkham-verse. It's just that we've given this story the specific title of End Game, which I have to credit my editor Jim Chadwick for coining. It seemed like the perfect name to tell this post-game story.

For those fans that have been playing the games and following the comics, it's nice to finally move the story past the game. And I also think that End Game is a story that even the casual fan can pick up, and maybe entice them to join us weekly for more Arkham stories.

As a comics writer and fan of the characters, you always hope you get the chance to tell your one great Batman/Joker story. I feel I've finally scratched that itch. But I'm not stopping there. There's so much more to tell.

Be sure to check out the first installment of Batman Arkham City: End Game on the DC Comics app tomorrow, for only .99 cents.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He will love Star Wars until the end of his days.